Feeler mechanism for looms



A. E. RHOADES FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a v a I ATTORNEY 1,523,236 A. E. RHOADES FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 23,1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 13, 1925,

UNETEZD mean-e 5P TEN 'l ALO'NZO E. BI-IOADES, OF'HQPEDAIJE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS'IG'NO'R TO DR-APER .COR- IPQRATION, J3 HOPEZDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A 'GOEIPO'RATION .OF MAINE.

FEEL-ER MECHANISM FOR LO'QM-S.

Application ifiled February 23, 1924.. Seri;a1yNo. 694;506.

TocZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALoNzo E. RHoADEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of lVorcesterand State of VMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying :drawings, is a specification, like characters .on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates :to feeler :mecha- ,nisms for looms whereby the operative conditionof the loom is changed from time to time, ,as, for instance, by replenishment .of ifilling.

The function of a feeler mechanism in looms is to determine the condition ofthe filling in. the shuttle .ondetecting beats and when the filling ;in the shuttle has become substantially exhausted to ,actuate a train of mechanism to call for replenishment of filling. Such replenishment ma-y .be effected .either by changing the fillingcarrier in the shuttle-or by changing the shuttle, both of 5 said systems being well-known in the art.

Since the function of'the feeler mechanism is as-stated, it is not necessary that the feeler of such mechanism should contact with the fillingvon each detecting heat but that it perform its feeling function when the critical period ofsubstantia-l exhaustion is approaching. The constantly recurring contacts of the feeler with the filling in the shuttle seriously injures the filling, .a condition which becomes markedly manifested when weaving with some kinds of filling.

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is toprovide a feeler mechanism in which the feeler shall be held out of Cooperative relation with the filling on detecting beats. during periods of inactivity and shall be released to the performanceof its feelingfunction .at intervals, and to provide a feeler mechanism of this character which shall be simple in construction and effective in operation and which will call for a change in filling when that in the shuttle is found to be substantially exhausted .on a detecting beat.

In accordance with the present invention, the feeler is moved out of cooperative relas itlOIl with the filling when it is moved front wardly by a working supply offilling in the ,shuttle 'on a detecting beat, and is retained posit on during its pein such inoperative r-iods of inactivity, and is released at intervals to its periods of activity during -weav ,ing.

,An important feature of the present invention, therefore, consists in a feeler moving device which is operatively associated with .an;a1;m connected to the feeler when the latter isimoved frontward ly on a detecting beat by a working supply of filling in ,the shuttle, and a detent which holds the feeler in its inoperative position. lVith cthese parts is associated a trip device for freeing the fee'ler from the detent and the .arm from the feeler moving device at intervals.

The invention and new combination of parts will best be made clear from the fol lowing description and the accompanying drawings of (one good practical form thereof, the details of which, however, may be varied within the true scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. lis a perspective view of a feeler mechanism containing the present invention and certain of the loom parts at the feeler side thereof;

Fig. 2 is a. side elevation, partly in 'sec .tion, of .the feeler mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with the feeler 'held out of cooperative relation with the filling;

3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing the feeler released for the performance of its feeling function; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing more particularly the arm associated with the feeler for en gagen 1 e nt by the feeler moving device to withdraw the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling.

In the illustrated embodiment of the in-.

vention, the feelcr mechanism is shown as associated with a train of devices for effecting replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle has become substantially exhausted, but the replenishing mechanism itself is not here illustrated because it may be of any usual type and the details of such replenishing mechanism form no essential part of the present invention. As shown, also, the invention is embodied in a feeler mechanism of the inclined type, where the feeler itself enters the shuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof and when the filling is substantially exhausted is moved along the filling carrier or bobbin by the upward pressure upon it to call for the change of filling, but it is understood of course that the invention may be advantageously employed in connection with other types of feeler mechanisms.

The loom frame 1 has extending therefrom the arm 2 which may be associated with the shipper stand for supporting the feeler mechanism. The feeler stand 3 is appropriately secured in adjusted position by means of a bolt 4: which passes through av slot 5 in the feeler stand, as usual.

The feeler stand 3 at its rearward portion has a rear bearing 5, as shown, in which is mounted for lateral movement a slide 6 having an opening 7 through which the feeler 8 extends, and in the present instance the rear bearing 5 is provided with a cap plate 9 as a convenient means for maintaining the slide 6 in its guideway formed in the rear bearing 5. The slide 6 is connected at 10 to a transmitter 11 whichmay be associated with a train of mechanism for effecting replenishment of filling when the slide 6 is moved in its guideway by side swipe movement of the feeler. The train of mechanism with which the transmitter is associated may be of any usual type, and since the details thereof form no essential part'of the present invention, it is not herein illustrated.

The frontwardly extending stem portion 12 of the feeler passes through a front bearing 13 showed formed as a swivel block mounted on a bracket 14: secured to the feeler tand. The feeler has secured to it between the front and rear bearings 5 and 13 a bridge or support 15 between which and the front bearing 13 is a spring 16 normally tending to move the feeler into its rearward feeling position.

The lay 17 is provided with the usual shuttle box 18 for the reception of the shuttle 19 which carries the filling carrier or bobbin 20 on which the filling 21 is wound. The front wall of the shuttle box is slotted at 22 and so also is the front wall of the shuttle 19 as at 23, so that when the shuttle is in the shuttle bo'xthe feeler 8, if in feeling position, may enter the openings 22 and 23 and feel for the fillin The parts so far described may be substantially the same as the similar parts in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, No. 1,309,226, July 8, 1919, to which reference may be had for a more full and detailed description. As hereinbefore stated, the invention is shown as associated with the inclined type of feeler, but is obviously not restricted thereto.

Pivotally mounted on the feeler stand, as shown, at 2 1, is a detent 25 having a series of teeth 26 and an inclined rear portion 27, the teeth of said detent being constructed and arranged for engagement with a part 28 connected to the feeler. is normally under the influence of a spring 29 tending to move the detent into its feeler holding position. As shown, the spring 29 is contained within a seat 30 which may be conveniently secured to or formed as part of the feeler stand 3, the construction being such that should the feeler be moved frontwardly it will be engaged and held by the teeth of the detent. V

The feeler 8 has associated with it an arm which, when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, is positioned for engagement with a feeler moving member to move the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling, in which position it will. be held by the detent. In the present instance of the invention, the feeler'moving device comprises a plunger 31 which may be conveniently' mounted upon the feeler stand, and as shownthe plunger 31 may have reciprocating movements in a hearing or sleeve 32 conveniently connected to the cap 9. Within the sleeve or bearing 32 is a spring-"33,

one end of which bears against a collar 34 secured to the plunger, and'the other end of which rests against the front end wall 35 of the bearing or sleeve 32, so that the normal tendency of the spring 33, is to move the plunger into its rearward position to which it may be limited by a stop, such, for instance, as the collar or nut 36, which may engage the front end portion of the bearing or sleeve 32 when the plunger is in its rearward position.

a hunter 37 which may be adjustably se cured to the plunger, and in thepresentinstance is shown as being adapted to contact with the front wall of the shuttle on a detecting beat.

Connected to the feeler for movement therewith is an arm 38 which, in the present instance, is shown as yieldingly mounted at 39 upon the feeler support 15 which is itself secured to the feeler. The arm 38 is normally under the influence of a spring 10 which may be conveniently housed within the hub or arm 38, as shown, one end of the spring being connected to the arm 38 and the other to the housing, with normal tendency to move the arm 38 into operative relation with. the stop or nut 36 on the plun- The detent 25 V ger, when the teeler is moved trontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat. a

- From the COHStl'MQtiQlz thus far described it will be seen that should the 66161 be moved lrontwardly by a working supply of filling, the arm 38 will move along the under surface of the hearing or sleeve 32 and finally reach a position in front of the stop or nut 36 on the plunger, whereupon the spring l will move the arm into cooperative relation and front of the stop or nut 36 so that when the plunger itself is moved front-wardly by trontwa-rd pressure of the'lay, the feeler will be withdrawn tro-ntwandlv out of cooperative relation with the filling and the teeth of the detent will engage the projection 28 carried by the teeler and hold the teeler in its frontw-ard inoperative position.

In accordance with the present invention, the ,teeler is to be held in its f rontwand glll' operative position for periods of inactivity and neleased at intervals to the pertormance oif its feeling function, and in further accordance with the present invention a trip is provided for treeing the feeler from the detent and the arm 38 from the -;plunger to permit the feeler to assume its Vfeeling function.

The trip may :be variously contrived and may be actuated from any going part of the loom, but as shown in the present instance of the invention, the trip .is mounted upon the teele-r stand and actuated to tree the tecler at intervals :by the plunger 31. Secured to the feeEler stand is a bracket 41 having a bearing 42 in which is mounted the dead shaft or stud 43. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 4.3, as shown, there is a ratchet wheel 4:4,, the teeth d of which are adapted to be engaged by the active end of a pawl 46 pivotally connected to the plunger at t7, so that as the plunger is reciprocated on detecting beats by [engagement with a surface on the lay, the ratchet wheel will be stepped along.

h'lounted on and projecting from :the face of the ratchet wheel 4.4 is a trip lug 48,. fl he bracket 4L1 carries a support 49 for a stud 50 011 which is rotatably mounted the hub or sleeve which carries a trip pawl 52 having an end portion 53 adapted to be engaged by thetrlip lug 48 on the atchet 44 as said lug rises beneath the trip pawl.

Thesleeve 5 1 also carries an arm 5.4: the end 5-5 ofwhich rests upon a spring actuating plunger 56. The plunger 56-prel erably extends downwardly into a housing or sleeve 57 in which is mounted a spring 58 one end of which bears against a collar 59 on the plunger and the other end of which rests upon a shoulder 60 in the lower portion of the housing or'sleeve 57, and'the lower end 61 otthe-plunger-is positioned for engagement with the detent 25,, the construction being such that should the arm 54: be turned contra-clockwise, as shown, the plunger 56 will trip the detent from engagement with. the projection 28 of the teeler.

Associated with the trip mechanism described is a device for freeing the finger 38 from operative relation with the plunger, in order to free the feeder to its rearward movement. In the present instance, the detent 25 has secured to it at 62 an arm trip ping member 63 which extends upwardly over the teeler as at ti t and then downwardly as at .65 to a position directly above the arm 38 when the fender is in its front- .ward inactive position.

The construction and arrangement of tho feeler and plunger are such that when the feeler is in its rearward feeling position, as indicated in Fig. 3, it will first meet the fililing in the shuttle on a detecting beat and be moved frontwardly thereby in advance Qjf the plunger, and as the lay moves trontwardly to its full beat-up movement the plunger will be moved trontwardly. preferably to an amount sutlicient to turn the ratchet wheel a l one tooth. hen the feeler has thus been moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, the arm 38 on the feeler will be moved into cooperative relation and front-wardly of the stop or nut 36 on the plunger, and as the plunger then moves frontwardly it will carry the fceler out of cooperative relation with the filling on the shuttle, and the detent will hold the teeler in its frontward inoperative position during periods of inactivity of the feeler. During such periods of inactivity of the feeler, the plunger 31 will be moved trontwardly by t-he'la-y movement on detecting beats and step along the 'atchet 4% until the trip lug 4E8 thereon rises beneath the trip pawl 52 and lifts it, thereby depressing the arm 5% and the detent to tree the feeler from the detent. As the detent is thus depressed or moved to free the fceler,the aunt-ripping member 63 will move the arm 38 against the stress of its spring 40 out of cooperative relation with the plunger, thereby permitting the feeler to move rearwardly to the performance of its feeling function during its periods of activity.

Should the foeler detect a working supply of filling present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, it will again bemoved frontwardly by the workingsupply of filling and then further frontwardly by the plunger out of cooperative relation with the filling. in which position it will be held by thedetent during periods of inactivity. However, should the tccler detect an approach to substantial exhaustion of filling on a detecting beat, it will not be moved frontwardly sufficiently far to cause the projec tion v28 to engage the teeth of-the dete'ut nor the arm 38 on the feeler to be operatively related in front of the stop or nut 36 on the plunger, and the feeler will continue in action as usual until substantial exhaustion of filling is detected, whereupon the feeler will partake of its side swipe movement and initiate replenishment of filling.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, an arm yieldingly mounted on the feeler, means movable frontwardly by the lay on detecting beats and adapted to be engaged by said yielding arm to move the feeler frontwardly to an inoperative position, a detent for holding the feeler in inoperative position during periods of inactivity, a trip for freeing the feeler at intervals to the performance of its feeling function, and a trip for acting upon the yielding arm to free it from said means when the detent is actuated to free the feeler.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination ofa feeler, a detent for holding the feeler in an inoperative position, means actuated by the lay movement for moving the feeler to its inoperative position, an arm connected to the feeler for engagement by said means when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a Working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and a. trip for freeing the feeler from the detent and the arm from said means at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, a detent for holding the feeler in an inoperative position, means actuated by the lay movement for moving the feeler to its inoperative position, an arm connected to the feeler for engagement by said means when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, and a trip actuated by said means for freeing the feeler from the detent and acting through the detent to free the arm from said means at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity during weaving.

4. In a feeler mechanism for loomis, the combination of a feeler, an arm connected to the feeler, means actuated by lay movement and constructed and arranged to be engaged by said arm when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat for moving the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling, a detent for holding the feeler in inoperative position, and a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent and the arm from said means at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity.

.5. A feeler mechanism, comprising, in combination a feeler, a spring normally tending to move the feeler into rearward feeling position, a feeler withdrawing device for moving the feeler towards the front of the loom out of cooperative relation with the filling, an arm connected to the feeler for engaging said Withdrawing device when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, a detent for holding the feeler in its frontward position, and a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent and the arm from the path of movement of said device at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity.

6. A feeler mechanism, comprising, in combination a feeler, a spring normally tending to move the feeler into rearward feelding position, a feeler withdrawing de-' vice actuated by lay movement for moving the filling, an arm connected. to the feeler for engaging said withdrawing device when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a work ing supply of filling, a detent for holding the feeler in its frontWa-rd position, and a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent and the arm from the path of movement of said device at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity.

7 A feeler mechanism, comprising, in combination a feeler, a spring normally tending to move the feeler into rearward feeling position, a feeler withdrawing device for moving the feeler towards the front of the loom out of cooperative relation with the filling, an arm connected to the feeler for engaging said withdrawing device when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working" supply of filling, a detent for holding the feeler in its frontward position, and a trip actuated by said device for freeing the feeler from the detent and the arm from the path of movement of said device at intervals that the feeler may have periods of activity and inactivity.

8. In a feeler mechanism, the combination of a feeler, a plunger actuated by lay movethe plunger at intervals.

9. In a feeler mechanism, the combination of a feeler, a plunger actuated by lay movement for moving the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling in the shuttle on detecting beats, an arm connected to the feeler and moved into operative relation with theplunger when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler frontwardly out of cooperative relation with the filling on detecting beats, a trip for freeing the feeler from the detent at intervals, and means for moving the arm out of cooperative relation with the plunger when the feeler is freed from the detent.

10. In a feeler mechanism, the combination of a feeler, a feeler moving device for moving the feeler towards the front of the loom out of cooperative relation with the filling, an arm associated with the feeler and moved into operative relation with said moving device when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat, a detent for holding the feeler out of cooperative relation with the filling, and a trip for moving the detent and arm to free the feeler at intervals.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALONZO E. RHOADES. 

